Dusters aim to become city's third pro champion

In Amarillo's professional sports history, only two teams have claimed a league championship.

The Dusters will try to become the third when they play host to Lubbock at 7:05 tonight at Cal Farley Coliseum in the first Intense Football League championship game.

The Amarillo Gold Sox won the Texas League baseball title in 1976, and the Amarillo Dillas captured the Texas-Louisiana League baseball crown in 1999.

If the Dusters are to achieve it, they will have to defeat the LoneStars for the fourth time in five meetings.

"It's rare that teams meet this many times in one season," Dusters head coach Don Carthel said. "But with only six teams in the league and 16 regular-season games, it's not that unusual."

Ironically, the teams met in a regular-season opener May 1, and the LoneStars led 20-0 in the first quarter before the Dusters rallied for a 59-48 victory.

Carthel, a former college coach at Eastern New Mexico University, guided the Greyhounds to the Lone Star Conference title in 1991 before stepping down.

He returned as a head coach this season and has relished the experience.

"It's been a summer I'll always remember," he said, "no matter the outcome. This has been a great group of guys to be around and work with. They've remained focused, and their goal is to win a ring that the league provides. It sure hasn't been about the money."

Players in the IFL receive $225 per week plus $50 for each win. There is no extra money at stake for winning the championship, only the weekly pay.

Carthel knows a handful of players will get an opportunity to play elsewhere next season.

"That's what this league is all about," he said. "It's about getting an opportunity to advance, and perhaps play at a higher level.

"Some players will get an opportunity to play in the Arena Football League, while others might get a chance to play in the Canadian Football League, or even hook on as a free agent with an NFL team.

"It will be tough to see them go, but it will be nice to see them possibly play at another level.

"We'll try to sign as many players as possible once the season is over. Most of them will return to their homes for a while, then come back and spend the winter here, working at various jobs, going to school and staying in shape.

"Then, we'll start again next April."

For now, the thoughts are only on winning this final game.

"Our defense carried us last week (in a 41-29 victory against San Angelo in the semifinals)," he said. "Offensively, we didn't play well. We just never got much going."

Carthel said the offense must play better against Lubbock.

"They'll probably put a lot of points on the scoreboard," he said. "It's been the case in all our games. We've scored more than 80 points twice against them, and they have scored more than 70 three times."